


Looks Can Be Deceiving

by CaliGal



Category: Here Come the Brides
Genre: Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, F/M, Forced Marriage, Past Abuse, Step-parents
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-09-03 14:21:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8717281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaliGal/pseuds/CaliGal
Summary: Alice Shields came to Seattle with the other brides to get away from her monstrous step-father, hoping to leave her past behind.  But when Aaron Stempel finds out, his next obvious move is to make her leave town so he can win Bridal Veil Mountain.  However, he decides to take a different advantage of the situation.





	1. Chapter 1

Alice Shields looked at her charcoal sketch with great pride as she sat on the dormitory porch.

_I’m so glad I started this up again._

And it had been quite a while since the last time, not since she was at least twenty or so. Her father had been alive then, giving her more motivation to do what she loved. But everything came crashing down after he passed away. The man her mother had chosen as a second husband only worsened the tragedy. Though he outwardly treated Mrs. Edna Shields like a queen, William Berns had secretly set sights on his new stepdaughter. She’d rebuffed him, of course, but he wouldn’t back down. And it would’ve broken Edna’s heart if she found out!

Unfortunately, when Alice was twenty-four, William (who was the owner of the New Haven insane asylum) convinced his wife that her daughter had gone crazy. So he committed her to the most secluded room in the building, where he had complete freedom to do as he pleased…

Alice closed her eyes, forcing the memory aside.

_Don’t think about that. You got away._

And indeed she had. After she’d been stuck in that prison for almost six months, she was able to slip out during a change in security, swiping her stepfather’s wallet in the process. She got as far as New Bedford with most of the money, using what was left to buy a simple dress and some soap to wash with. However, she worried that William would be in close pursuit before long. By a stroke of luck, that was just when the Bolt Brothers advertised to have a hundred women travel to Seattle. So after reclaiming her original surname of Shields, Alice boarded the ship and never looked back.

“Afternoon, Miss Shields.”

“Oh! Hi, Jason.”

It was always such a pleasure to see the elder Bolt. They’d gotten a chance to talk aboard the ship, which is where they found out they’d both lost their fathers. Since that discussion, she figured he probably saw her as a little sister or something.

“Lovely day, isn’t it?” she prodded.

“Sure.”

He looked a bit strained, prompting Alice to investigate.

“Is anything wrong?”

“What d’you think?”

It finally dawned on her. She loved Seattle, but there was one thing about the small settlement that she didn’t like at all: Aaron Stempel. According to Jason, the sawmill owner had done everything possible to convince the girls to leave Seattle, just so he could take Bridal Veil Mountain from the Bolt brothers. Alice had often heard him badmouthing the siblings in an attempt to scare the brides away. Nobody was gone yet, but some of them had come very close. Plus, Stempel’s arrogant demeanor reminded her too much of her stepfather. Like William, Stempel loved to flash his wealth all over town, thinking that all of the girls would come running. A few of them did, but despite the man’s best efforts, Alice never fell for it.

“Don’t let him get to you,” she said. “If anything, you should pity people like that.”

“I _should_ pity him, but I _want_ to smack him in the nose most of the time.”

Alice chuckled, drawing Jason’s attention long enough for him to notice her sketch.

“Oh, is that the saloon?”

“Well, it’s not finished yet.”

“It’s very good. Have you always done this?”

“Not since before my father died. Mother taught me, but he loved my drawings.”

“I’m sure he’d love them now as well.”

“Thanks.”

A few warm seconds passed before the man spoke again.

“I should get going. Joshua’s probably bossing Jeremy around.”

“Have a good night.”

“You too, miss.”

The young woman sat back in her chair, taking in the oncoming sunset. No matter how turbulent things were in this place, there was no denying how beautiful it was.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Aaron Stempel walked into the Olympia post office to take care of a few receipts. Business was usual at the mill, and he knew Seattle well enough to know that those city girls wouldn’t last more than a few months, to say nothing about a whole year. Before long, the mountain would be his.

Once everything was in order for the month, he pocketed his wallet and headed for the door. But something caught his eye. The bulletin board was in its usual place on the wall by the exit, along with all of the “wanted” posters. However, there was a new poster today, with a very familiar face.

_Miss Shields?_

Though the poster was labeled as being Alice Berns, the sketch bore a remarkable resemblance to the woman who’d rebuffed him more times than any other girl combined. And it said she’d escaped an asylum in New Haven, not far from New Bedford. Perhaps it was the same person. If it was…

_The mountain is mine!_

Stempel pocketed the sketch and went outside, mounting his horse with a devious grin. He began steering the animal out of Olympia, but before they could reach a gallop, a whole different idea entered his mind. Using this poster to make Alice leave town would be too easy of a victory. There would be plenty of other opportunities to take the mountain, but this…this was going to be fun.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! Read on and enjoy =)

“So how about this weekend, maybe Saturday night?”

“I’d love that.”

Her insides warmed whenever Joe Eccles came to see her. They’d taken several walks through the woods together over the past month (accompanied by other couples, of course), and this afternoon, he was inviting her to dance at the saloon later in the week. He had so many good qualities: a steady job at the Bolt logging camp, a wonderful sense of humor, and a kind face. The only thing that had her worried was that he hadn’t kissed her yet. But it was hardly a problem, as he was very respectful of her.

_Unlike…_

“I guess I’ll see you there?”

“Yes, you shall.”

He smiled…another thing she liked about him.

“Have a good night then, Miss Shields.”

“Same to you, Mr. Eccles.”

She turned to go back inside after watching him leave, planning to do some more sketching. But before she could walk two steps, Candy Pruitt handed her a basket of wet laundry.

“Your turn, Alice.”

“Oh, _Candy…_ ”

“I hung it yesterday, so you’re doing it today. You need the practice.”

“Fine.”

_I do keep wrinkling stuff._

With a small huff, the woman jerked her short blonde hair out of her face and walked around the side of the dormitory towards the hanging lines. She sorted through some petticoats, distracting herself with daydreams of the oncoming weekend. Maybe Joe would surprise her with some flowers or something. That would be nice, especially after what she’d gone through to make it here.

“Afternoon, Miss Shields.”

Alice needlessly turned around, already recognizing the voice. Aaron was dressed in his usual blue suit, but with an unusual look in his eye.

“Mr. Stempel.”

“Lovely weather today, isn’t it? I thought you might like to come on a walk with me.”

The girl turned back to her work, inwardly rolling her eyes.

“I appreciate the invitation, but I’d sooner take a walk with Davy Jones.”

She waited for him to leave, but the footsteps didn’t go anywhere. He’d always laugh that infuriating laugh and move on to somebody else, but now, he seemed to be a bit more resilient than he normally was. It didn’t take long for her to get fed up and face him again.

“Good day, Mr. St…”

Her words froze in her throat at the sight of the poster he held in front of him.

_Did…did Mother draw that?_

She quickly recognized Edna’s technique, as the sketch was practically a mirror image of herself. But she couldn’t stare at it for long. The printed words on the page made an all-too-familiar knot coil up in her stomach. And this man…

Alice reluctantly looked up, sickened by the triumphant glow in Stempel’s dark eyes. No matter how tempted she was to make a run for it, she knew he’d catch her in an instant. So she could only stand there numbly as he spoke.

“Now, how about we take that walk?”

He offered his arm to her, and her body seemed to move on its own. While the mill owner led her up towards the woods, a wide range of thoughts began flooding the poor woman’s mind.

_Will he have me sent back to New Haven, or tell Jason the truth? No…he’d have done it already. Maybe he intends to…_

She swallowed down her panic when Aaron stopped by the edge of the lake.

“Seattle’s really pretty, right? The view never gets old.”

“What do you want?”

“Hmm?”

He seemed genuinely curious, which only angered the woman.

“If you were going to tell the Bolts, you’d have brought me to them by now. You’d have shown them the sketch the second you found it. _What do you want?_ ”

She braced herself for his terms, however dishonorable they were. By now, she’d already started separating her mind from her body; her eyes weren’t even watering.

_Thank God nobody else is out here. Better to get it over with—_

“Marry me.”

Had she not been so scared, Alice might’ve laughed out loud.

“What?”

“I want you to marry me.” The woman stepped back in shock, and he let her. “Don’t look so spooked. If we got married, I’d be responsible for you. You wouldn’t have to go back to the asylum under my protection.”

As appealing as that detail sounded, the girl was too appalled.

“I…are you crazy?”

“Oh, look who’s talking,” Aaron said with a chuckle before continuing. “This is probably a lot to take in, so I’ll give you until tomorrow to decide.” He took a slow step towards her. “But make no mistake: if you tell anybody, or try to run off before then, I will personally take you back to New Haven…right after Bolt signs his mountain over to me.”

Alice couldn’t speak, but her bones were nearly shaking. How could any of this happen? One second, everything was fine. Her past was nearly forgotten, and most of the people around her made Seattle appear to be a safe place. But now, that hope was quickly shattering.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

No matter how hard she pondered every idea in the book, she didn’t know what to do. The rest of the day felt like she was walking through stone. Her body was able to finish the laundry, and she still couldn’t cry. Despite this, everything else was frozen.

Alice was incapable of relaxing until the sun went down.

_It’s dark, so…_

She wasn’t even sure if she’d actually do it. Some of the girls were still awake upstairs, and her things were there too. Naturally, she’d need to leave them behind. But it would be worth it in the long run; going back to the asylum was not an option. Before the light was completely gone, the woman wandered to the window and looked outside. Not a lot of people were walking around, and the darkness made it hard to see. But there was someone coming out of Lottie’s saloon.

Her heart dropped as Aaron caught sight of her. They locked eyes for a few seconds, waiting for something to happen. Then, the man slowly shook his head and shot her a subtle grin. Alice froze as all dreams of escaping left her mind. She couldn’t think, but her feet eventually backed away from the window and retreated into the kitchen. Her back hit the table, leading her to fall to her knees. Out of nowhere, the tears came. She was trapped, with nowhere to go, nobody to beg for help from…just like last time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! Read on and enjoy =)

The next morning, Alice was waiting on the porch for Aaron to meet her. And he was very prompt in his arrival. Without speaking, she took his arm and let him lead her back into the woods. She wanted to get this over with, but for some reason, the words weren’t leaving her mouth yet. It felt like her jaw was stuck.

“Well?” Stempel prodded after about a minute of silence.

_I can’t. I just can’t do this!_

“Choose, Miss Berns, or I’ll choose for you.”

Fear of returning to the past immediately won out, and Alice gazed at the water.

“All…all right.”

It was barely a whisper, causing the man to lean his head down.

“What’s that?”

“All _right_ , I said.”

He knew what she meant, but his desire to savor the victory overcame him.

“All right, what?”

“I…I’ll marry you.”

“Ah! Wonderful.” Alice looked to the side, not unnoticed by the man. “Don’t worry. Like I said, I’ll make sure you don’t go back to the asylum.”

The girl didn’t appear to be soothed by this promise, giving him pause.

_Is she really that disgusted by me?_

“Come on, now. How will you put the wedding together if you’re this blue?”

“Wait! I—” The woman caught herself, realizing how terrified she sounded. “Please, let’s just do this quietly…without a ceremony.”

“Just go sign a license with the reverend, you mean?”

“Yes.”

This entertained Aaron. All girls probably thought about how they’d plan their weddings, but this one seemed to be different.

“All right, suit yourself. We’ll go right now.”

She nodded, wanting this out of the way; plus, it wouldn’t help things if Joe saw her marrying someone else.

“But tonight, we’ll announce it at the saloon. Fair enough?”

Not sure if her young suitor would be there, Alice reluctantly agreed.

“Fair enough.”

“Very well. On we go.”

OOOOOOOOOOOO

The marriage was quiet, just like Stempel promised. They’d gone to the church and signed a marriage license; the reverend was a bit surprised, but nevertheless, he was happy to oblige them. The only snag was when Alice tried to sign with her chosen surname.

“Ah, hold on. Aren’t you forgetting something, Miss _Berns?_ ”

With her last hope destroyed, she legally signed the license as Alice Berns. Finally, the reverend recited a few vows. Though they both spoke the words about honoring, holding, and loving each other, it meant nothing to Alice. Fortunately, Stempel was satisfied with the vows, and wasn’t adamant about the “you may now kiss the bride” statement. There would be plenty of time for that in the future; she was his wife now.

“Perhaps you should go back to the dormitory and pack your things,” he told her as they walked out of the church. “I’ll help you bring them to the house after we make our announcement tonight.”

“Fine.”

Alice went to leave his side, but he took her arm to stop her.

“Husbands and wives respect each other. And it’s respectful to look someone in the eye when they speak to you.”

Suppressing the urge to laugh at his preaching, the woman turned to look into his eyes.

“That’s better. I’ll see you soon, Mrs. Stempel.”

Alice grimaced as he proceeded down the walkway with a chuckle. It felt unreal, despite the reality of what just happened. All the same, she numbly walked into the dormitory and quietly moved her few belongings into a suitcase. There wasn’t a whole lot to pack, as she hadn’t brought anything with her aside from her stepfather’s wallet. The process was short, and luckily, there wasn’t anyone else upstairs to fuss over why she was packing. So after tucking the full suitcase beneath her bed, she sat upon it and waited for the hours to tick by.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

“Everyone, quiet down! Quiet down.”

The saloon was just as active as Alice thought it would be, much to her disappointment. Still, she obediently held Aaron’s arm and made herself smile as he went on.

“Alice and I have a little something to tell all of you.” He glanced at her with a prodding smile. “Go on, then.”

She wanted so badly to glare at him, especially now that Joe had just walked through the door. But images of the asylum moved her to speak.

“He and I have just gotten married.”

Everything was quiet for a moment, and then, nearly the whole place erupted with cheers. Jason, Joshua, and Jeremy looked shocked. While Alice could feel the elder Bolt staring at her, as if he were looking for the truth, she glanced to the side.

“Why, Aaron, I…this is a surprise.”

“Don’t worry, Bolt. There’s still plenty of time for the other girls to leave.”

A few seconds later, the woman caught sight of Joe again. He looked hurt, almost as hurt as she secretly felt. She tried to hold onto his gaze, to somehow talk to him with her eyes. But he stormed out of the saloon before another moment could pass. Poor Alice could only swallow her feelings and pretend it was the greatest day of her life.

The festivities died down fairly quickly, allowing her to retrieve her suitcase and tentatively follow Aaron to his house. It was the nicest-looking building in Seattle, but Alice felt like she was entering prison. Not even the lavish interior made her feel better.

“You must be tired,” Stempel said, taking the suitcase up the stairs. “Come on, the bedroom’s up here.”

Her legs moved unconsciously. Despite the terror and disgust growing in her gut, the girl saw no point in trying to delay the inevitable; she’d learned long ago that resisting would only make things worse.

“Here we are.”

The main bedroom had green wooden walls painted with a few oil lamps nailed to them. There was a large curtained window across from the door, and the bed was covered in fancy-looking sheets. After putting the suitcase down at the end of the bed, Aaron spoke again.

“Go ahead and dress for bed, all right? I’ll change in the guestroom.”

Even when he was gone, the fear didn’t disperse. But no matter how she felt, Alice made herself change into her nightgown all the same.

_Get it over with. Just be through with it._

Her new husband knocked on the door just as she stepped to the right side of the bed. Despite wanting to throw herself out of the window, Alice forced herself to talk.

“Come in.”

Stempel did just that, clad in an undershirt with loose-fitting tan slacks.

“Good choice. I sleep on the left side anyways.”

The woman numbly slipped beneath the sheets and stared at the ceiling. Aaron looked at her for a few seconds before getting into bed himself. Then, he turned down the table lamp and gazed over at Alice. He’d always thought she was pretty, but up close like this…it was quite a vision. However, no matter how distracted he was, he noticed the slight wince in her eyes.

“What?” he inquired with an amused scoff. “D’you think I’ll hurt you or something?”

There wasn’t any response, as the girl’s eyes were still glued above her. After a few more moments, the man moved closer to her and laid a hand over her waist.

“Well, don’t worry. You’ll enjoy yourself.”

As he leaned down to pull her close and press his face into the side of her neck, Alice braced herself. She pictured being at the side of the lake back home, where her father would always take her for walks. Thinking of those days was the best way to disassociate from reality, so she threw herself into it with all her might. When she came back, the worst would be over.

It didn’t take long for Stempel to notice the lack of response. He’d barely even inhaled her scent when he lifted his head to look at her.

_She’s ignoring me._

Part of him was mad, but at the same time, it was hard not to notice the empty look in her eyes. That wasn’t what he wanted to see at all. Whenever he’d seen her around town, her face was alive and glowing. That’s what he desired: to see that shimmering expression close-up, and to be the one causing her to react that way. And though he wanted that to happen now, it obviously wasn’t the right time.

“Good night,” he muttered casually, turning his back to her as he lay down. “Go to sleep.”

For the next several minutes, Alice could only lie there in shock. Why had he stopped? Isn’t that why he married her instead of taking her back to the asylum? Hadn’t he wanted to…?

It took a while, but her confusion ultimately exhausted her enough for her to drift off.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! Read on and enjoy.

Aaron was no longer in the bed by the time the woman woke up the next morning. She remembered the events of the previous day, but pushed it aside as she got up and wandered down the stairs. Though she hoped he’d already gone to the mill, Alice reached the sitting room in time to see him pouring himself a cup of coffee.

“Oh, good morning,” he said, dressed in his teal vest with a dark green coat. “Coffee?”

The girl shook her head, wondering how he could be so casual about all of this.

“All right. Well, it’s on the stove if you change your mind.”

“Can…can I walk around outside?”

Stempel held back a chuckle.

“You don’t have to ask for my permission, Alice. You can proceed like you normally would, as long as you don’t say the wrong things.”

She didn’t react, but deep down, hearing this was a great comfort.

_No…I can’t feel gratitude towards him!_

“I have to head out, but I’ll be back tonight.” He smiled, almost sweetly. “Have a good day.”

With that, he was gone. Alice could only stand there with a dumbfounded look on her face for a while. But if she was going to function, she had to hang onto whatever made her happy. So after getting dressed and putting up her hair with two side combs given to her by Biddie as a wedding gift, she left the house.

For now, she felt compelled to visit the dormitory and do her regular chores. A bunch of the girls were surrounding her with questions about the marriage (and what followed), but Candy shoed them away.

“Girls, take it easy. Give her some air.”

Alice thanked her with a gentle look, walking towards the kitchen to wash dishes. However, it wasn’t long before she heard familiar footsteps behind her.

“Oh, Alice…is, um, is everything all right?”

“Yes, Biddie. Thanks again for the combs.”

“No trouble. They look lovely on you.”

“Thanks.”

“Say, why didn’t you tell me that you and Mr. Stempel were getting married? Why didn’t you tell _anyone?_ ”

“I don’t know. I guess…it was a quick decision.”

“And I was under the impression that you didn’t like him very much.”

“Well, looks can be deceiving sometimes, Biddie.”

She didn’t know if her friend would buy what she was saying, but for the moment, it was the best she could come up with.

After a few hours, she went back outside to walk around. Some of the loggers were coming back from the mountain for lunch, and Alice’s heart skipped a beat upon seeing Joe. He saw her too, slowing to a halt from across the walkway. Remembering her new spouse’s warning, the girl didn’t say anything. Instead, she tried to use her eyes. But the man shook his head gravely and followed his friends into the saloon. Stung by the rejection, Alice felt her eyes filling with tears.

_Stempel…he’s ruined everything!_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Things didn’t change for the next couple of weeks. She was still able to walk around town during the day, and Aaron still acted like nothing was wrong. In addition to this, nothing had happened at night aside from sleeping. But poor Alice expected that this would change soon, and her fear was at its highest point. She didn’t like not knowing when it would occur. And eventually, it surely would.

Tonight, just after the two of them had gotten into bed, something within the young woman snapped. Without warning, she threw back the covers and got up. Before Aaron could stop her, she was out of the room.

“Hey—”

A naïve fear prodded Alice to run into the guestroom, but when she tried to shut the door, the man pushed his way in.

“Just go away! Let me sleep in here.”

“I don’t think so. In case you’ve forgotten, you’re my wife.”

“Oh, _stop!_ ”

She made an attempt to slip past him, but Aaron grabbed both her arms and pulled her back to face him.

“Listen here, missy. As long as you’re living in my house, you’ll live by my rules.”

“In case _you’ve_ forgotten, slavery doesn’t exist anymore.”

This angered Aaron. He’d been expecting a bit of gratitude from her, and she was doing just the opposite. Besides, she must’ve done something to end up imprisoned. Her innocent demeanor must’ve been a façade of sorts, and he was growing tired of it.

“If it wasn’t for me, you’d be heading back to New Haven right now. You should be _thanking_ me!”

“How dare you! I don’t have to thank you for anything. You’re nothing but a spoiled child who thinks he can have whatever he wants!”

“ _Me?_ You ended up in the loony bin instead of jail. **You** must be just as spoiled for your parents to arrange that.”

“Go to hell!”

Alice shoved against him with all her might, catching him off-guard. The man quickly recovered, but before he could take two steps towards her, she dropped down to the floor.

“ _No!_ Please, I’m sorry!”

The girl couldn’t believe she’d lashed out like that. Hadn’t she learned her lesson? She’d have to bear her punishment now, like a good girl. Like last time…

“Don’t hurt me,” she whispered, staring at the floor. “I’ll do anything you want.”

Aaron had paused by now, his anger wiped away by the sight. The woman looked so small, and so frightened. Seeing her like this made his insides turn, and not in a good way.

“Easy, now.”

She flinched when he reached towards her, so he withdrew his hand. What was wrong with her, and why was she saying these things? Had something happened, perhaps in the asylum? It would explain a few things about her…

But he found himself not wanting to know about it. In fact, he was almost afraid to find out.

“All right, then. How about you go back to the bedroom? I’ll sleep in here tonight.”

Surprised, Alice got to her feet and stared at him like a spooked deer. Despite her doubts, there wasn’t any deceit in his expression. So she shakily wandered back to the bedroom and pulled the covers over herself. It still took a long time for her to fall asleep, as her spouse’s motives were become less clear by the minute.

Meanwhile, Aaron barely slept either. The spare bed was comfortable enough, but he couldn’t get Alice out of his head. What on Earth could she be hiding, and how dark was it?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! Read on and enjoy =)

While relieved to see that Stempel was gone upon going downstairs the next morning, Alice was greatly preoccupied by her fear. Not even the sight of another heated pitcher of coffee upon the stove made it go away. All the same, she made herself pour a cup and take a sip. Despite having lived in the house for this long, the woman had never taken a good look around. So she did just that.

It was very clean, like her own home in Connecticut. But the way it was decorated was sophisticated in a way she didn’t like. It reminded her too much of the environment in which her stepfather hounded her to no end.

_No…he won’t torment me here._

Digging up her charcoal and paper was hardly a chore, as there weren’t a lot of other belongings in her satchel to weigh them down. Alice tried to focus on her artistic talents as she sat on the padded sofa near the fireplace. But the urge to draw was slow in arriving. Eventually, she began thinking of her father, and how happy she was whenever he was nearby. His face was still clear in her mind: the blonde hair with a bit of silver growing in, his kind green eyes, the light dimples of his smile…

Her hand moved unconsciously until this vision began to form on the paper.

After an unknown amount of time, the front door opened.

“Hello.” Alice eyed Aaron cautiously as he walked in and placed a tray of food onto the table. “It’s my lunch break. Want some?”

Too shaken to even think about eating, the young woman just stayed put. With a small shrug, Stempel wandered over to the chair and sat down across from her. Things were silent for a minute or two, but the tension proved to be too much for Alice.

“What do you want?” she asked emptily. “What’re you waiting for?”

Genuinely confused, the man glanced up at her.

“What?”

“You’ll do it at some point.”

“What’re you talking about?”

“I mean…you want to have your way with me.”

Aaron didn’t know how to respond to this. It made him even more apprehensive about the girl’s past, but all the same, he set his worries aside and focused on calming her.

“Do you think I’m that much of a monster?”

“I don’t know.” She was eerily calm in replying. “I don’t know anything about you, so I don’t know what you’re thinking.”

After a few stunned seconds, the mill owner set his plate onto the coffee table.

“That is not my intention, Alice. Not now, at least.” Her eyes suddenly looked alarmed, prompting him to rearrange his words. “What I meant was that I won’t do anything unless you want me to.”

Alice processed this, trying to figure out if he was lying.

“What if I never want you to?”

“Well, I…I’m a very patient man.”

His insides eased a bit upon seeing her face relax. Then, he felt his guilt from the previous night returning. Though it seemed right to make amends, the man didn’t know how to put these thoughts into words. Nevertheless, he was ready to try. But before he could, something else caught his eye.

“Did you do that?”

“Hmm?” She glanced down at her sketch. “Oh, yes.”

“You a professional artist or something?”

“No, I…my parents taught me. My father, most of the time.”

“Interesting thing to teach.”

“He was working a lot, so it was one of the only things we could do together.”

Alice didn’t know why she was revealing all of this, but even after what had happened, something about the change in Aaron’s demeanor was comforting to her. He didn’t seem quite as arrogant now, which certainly helped.

“Is that who it’s supposed to be on that page?”

“Yes, as I remember him. He died almost five years ago.”

His remorse increased.

“Sorry to hear that.” Things were uncomfortably quiet for a while before Stempel spoke again. “Both my parents died of influenza when I was seventeen, left my sister and I all by ourselves.”

“Oh…I didn’t know you had a sister.”

“Yeah, her name’s Julie. She was two at the time, but she’s about your age now.”

This made him more real in the girl’s eyes…more human, almost.

“I’m sorry about your parents.”

“It was a while ago. And working was a good distraction.”

“They didn’t leave you any money?”

“Oh, they did. An uncle on my father’s side tried to claim the trust fund they left for us, but I got it back a decade after founding the mill.”

“It wasn’t inherited?”

“No. Well, the inheritance helped it grow, but I started it as a smaller business. It wasn’t an easy thing at all.”

_Interesting…does anyone in the town know this?_

She figured that they probably didn’t. But he obviously hadn’t told them either, opting for everyone to think he had always been privileged in this way. Still, the person she saw now was nothing like the man she’d disliked so much.

“Have you ever considered selling your sketches?” Aaron asked.

“No. They’re not good enough for that.”

“I don’t know, let’s find out. Why don’t you draw me?”

“What? No, I…I couldn’t.”

“You won’t know unless you try.” He turned to the side, playfully striking a pose. “Go ahead.”

“Fine.” Alice felt very nervous for some reason, but she brushed it away. “Look towards the table, and just relax.”

“All right.”

Though it took about thirty minutes, she felt that the finished product wasn’t the worst she’d ever done. It wasn’t perfect, but…

“Can I see?” His spouse was hesitant, prompting him to carefully join her on the couch. “Don’t worry, I’m sure it turned out just fine.”

Upon seeing the sketch, he knew “fine” was an understatement. The amazing technique more than compensated for the lack of color. It was simple, yet so elegant.

“Do you like it?” Alice reluctantly asked.

“Like it? You’ve got quite a talent.”

Things were silent for a bit. The woman was shocked by how well they were getting along within such a short period of time. He’d revealed personal things from his past as though they’d known each other for years, and she’d done the same. What had changed?

“Well, I have to head back out.” Stempel stood up and retrieved his plate. “Have some lunch if you get hungry. I’ll see you tonight.”

Once he was gone, Alice let out a breath. It wasn’t one of relief, like it normally would be. All of this was just such a surprise, and she didn’t know what to think. Even nibbling on some food didn’t alleviate her confusion. For now, she could only contemplate as much as possible.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! Just so you know, this chapter contains dialogue about past abuse. That having been said, read on and enjoy =)

“Alice!”

She turned around just in time to see Jason Bolt approaching her.

“Hello, Jason.”

“May I speak to you in private for a moment?”

The woman didn’t have time to be confused or worried. Instead, she merely nodded as the elder Bolt took her elbow and gently led her to some trees behind the church.

“Is anything wrong?”

“Alice, you don’t have to be afraid. Just tell me, in all honesty: did you willingly marry Stempel, or did something happen?”

“What…?”

An ancient desire flared within her. _Tell him the truth,_ it screamed. Had Jason asked her this shortly after the marriage, she might’ve come clean. But now, it was different. Though her fear of going back to New Haven outweighed everything, she didn’t feel a sense of danger from her spouse anymore. It was almost comfortable. So she prepared her words as Jason went on.

“Did he threaten you? Because if he did—”

“No, no. It wasn’t anything like that.” The man paused, allowing her to continue. “Jason, I…I’m sorry. It’s so wonderful of you to look out for me, but I should’ve told you how I felt before. The wedding was my choice as much as it was his, and rest assured, I’m very happy.”

Jason seemed a bit disappointed to hear this, but he nodded his head all the same.

“As long as that’s the truth…”

“It is. I’m sorry, I have to go. But have a wonderful day, Mr. Bolt.”

She walked away, leaving Jason with a flabbergasted look on his face. Unbeknownst to either of them, someone else was just as shocked.

Having been on his way into town for lunch, Aaron came upon the conversation while cutting through the woods. He’d made sure to stay hidden behind a tree, and for some reason, part of him wondered if he should be prepared to flee the town or something. However, Alice didn’t tell Bolt about the blackmail. In fact, she said she was happy. _Happy_ …

He couldn’t keep from smiling to himself. Was the girl actually willing to give the marriage a chance, even in light of how it started? It wasn’t outside of the realm of possibilities; they’d been getting along all right for the past week, ever since their lunch at the house. Things weren’t perfect, of course, but…perhaps they could be.

OOOOOOOOOOO

That night, while reading a book in the guestroom by his oil lamp, Aaron was startled by a noise. It sounded like a soft cry. Before he could wonder if his wife was in distress, he heard a scream. He dropped the book, took the lamp, and rushed into the bedroom. Nobody was in there aside from Alice, but she was obviously having a night terror. While the man didn’t know what to do for a moment, he ultimately placed the lamp onto the nightstand and knelt onto the mattress behind her.

“There, there. Take it easy…”

He tried shaking her awake with a hand on her shoulder, but she whipped around and yelled again.

“No, please!”

Alarmed, Aaron took both of her shoulders and shook a bit harder.

“Alice, wake up!”

Her eyes shot open just as she was about to scream again, but upon seeing her spouse kneeling above her and removing his hands, it came out as a ragged sigh.

“I…” Though she couldn’t speak for a moment, the words formed in her mind after she caught her breath. “I’m sorry I woke you.”

“No, I was already up.” He wondered if he should speak with her about this, and before he could get too nervous to do so, the question was out. “What happened?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“That’s all right, you don’t have to. But…good God, Alice, what has you so afraid all the time? Is it something I did?”

“No.”

“Then what is it? It’ll eat you up inside if you keep it to yourself.”

After about a minute of worrying, Alice sat up and wiped at her eyes.

“After my father died, my mother got married again, to a doctor named William Berns. He was good to her, but…she didn’t know what was happening, and I couldn’t tell her.” Though she hadn’t gotten specific yet, Stempel had a suspicion of what had occurred. “He kept trying to have me, but I never gave in. So a year ago, he convinced Mother that I was crazy, and that the only way for me to get better was for him to commit me to the asylum…under his close personal care.”

Aaron felt sick to his stomach, but he never took his eyes away from her.

“Go on.”

“On the first night, he…I had my hair in a long braid, and he cut it off, said nobody but him would ever want me for a wife. Later on, they used these…these tubs of water with ice. It was _so_ cold.” She cringed at the memory. “He made me stand in my room, with my hands down and without any clothes. And he’d stare for hours, just smiling. And sometimes, when I was trying to warm up on the mattress, he’d come in and…”

Her tears became heavier as she looked down, not wanting to say it.

“He forced himself on you?”

“Not in the ultimate way. But he wanted to, planned to. He’d touch me instead, and sometimes, he made me touch him.” Her voice broke, but she went on. “It hurt, but he said I had to take my punishment, like a good girl. I was ungrateful, and I wouldn’t leave there until I learned to show appreciation for his kindness.”

After regaining her composure, Alice let herself feel proud of the next memory.

“About six months later, the guards were changing shifts. I took an inmate gown and slipped out, even got my stepfather’s wallet while I was at it. A coach took me as far as New Bedford, and…”

“And that’s when you found the Bolts?”

“Yes.”

Things were silent for a while. Never in his life had Aaron felt so guilty. She’d escaped hell, and for his own arrogant amusement, he ended up dragging her into a whole new trap. Part of him knew he’d never hurt her like that other beast had, but still…how could he have done this?

“All right, um…how about you try and sleep some more?”

He went to get up, but the girl stopped him.

“Will you stay here?”

Aaron soon nodded, moving beneath the sheets to settle next to her. After reaching over to turn down the lamp, he rolled onto his side and looked at Alice’s back. He felt an urge to do something, to show her that she was safe. So he slowly rested an arm over her middle and inched a bit closer. Not only did the woman not flinch, but also, she actually appeared to relax under the touch. Despite the awful knowledge of what she’d endured, the strain of it was exhausting enough for them to fall asleep.

Alice rested for several hours before another nightmare forced her awake. Her eyes assured her that this wasn’t the asylum, but the tears came anyways. She pressed her face into the mattress, not wanting to wake her husband. However, he had already been roused by her startled gasp.

“You all right?”

“Yes, I…”

Her fear and exhaustion was too much to handle, and she broke down. But soon, she felt two gentle hands turning her around and pulling her close.

“Shh, easy. You’re not ever going back there.”

The girl allowed herself to let it all out, relishing the softness of the embrace. They stayed like that for several minutes, until Alice’s terror faded. She didn’t think this would ever happen, but she actually felt safe. Aaron was going to protect her, hold her, and cherish her…like the wedding vows stated. The warmth growing within her gut prodded the girl to act on it. She moved her arms up around him, pressing her lips against his clothed shoulder.

Aaron froze. While he felt something akin to joy for a fraction of a second, it vanished just as quickly. This whole situation was horrible. He was trying his best to show her kindness, as any decent human would, and now, she felt like she owed him something in return. That just didn’t sit well with him. So before Alice could reach his lips, he carefully took her face with both hands.

“Just…” Stempel pressed a quick kiss to her forehead and released her, turning onto his shoulder. “Go back to sleep.”

Alice’s body impulsively complied, but her mind was a different story. Why had he turned her down? Did he not want her anymore? Sleep didn’t come easily with all these unanswered questions, but the shock ultimately wore her out.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! Read on and enjoy =)

As much as Aaron tried to concentrate on his work the next morning, it was proving to be incredibly difficult. Alice consumed every one of his thoughts. Despite wondering about the way she’d tried to kiss him during the night, he also figured that she wanted to pay him back or something.

_For what? I comforted her while she was suffering, so she believed she had to offer herself as compensation? That’s not what I want._

The timing was awful. This was all a game at first, but now…he really was falling for her. Even in light of her behavior, Stempel knew it was motivated by gratitude instead of affection. It just wasn’t right. At this point, he was thinking about telling Alice that she was free to be with someone else, perhaps the Eccles fellow. They’d stay married for her safety, of course, but he would step aside if she wanted to pursue another man.

_But I don’t **want** her to pursue anyone else! _

There was no denying his hurt at the very thought of it. Still, it was probably the right thing to do.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Alice tried to absorb the feeling of being outside, but was unable to do so. She couldn’t stop thinking about Aaron, and about the way he’d rejected her. Why had he done that?

_He pities me. But what if he thinks I’m dirty now? And why do I even care?_

This was all so insane. She hated Stempel for making her marry him…didn’t she? After all, they’d been able to be around each other recently, more so than before. It was far from a perfect situation, but it was stable. And the woman remembered how warm and secure she’d felt when he embraced her the previous night. That feeling was real, as was her reaction to it.

Upon turning the corner towards the dormitory, Alice caught sight of a black carriage rolling into town. Something in her gut told her to approach Lottie’s saloon instead, so she did just that. The nervousness was increasing, and it transformed into terror when the coach got close enough for her to see who was inside it. The sick recognition in those icy eyes was all she needed. Her legs propelled her inside the saloon, but he’d already seen her.

“Stop,” William Berns said to the driver out the window before looking at the two orderlies sitting across from him. “We’ve found her. She just went in there.”

“Lottie!”

The older woman had been talking with Clancy at the bar, but she quickly went around the side of it in just enough time to catch Alice in her arms.

“What on Earth is wrong, sweetheart?”

“Please, help me. They’re trying to take me away. Don’t let them!”

Though confused, Lottie was prepared to protect the girl at all costs. She saw Candy and Biddie dusting by the windows and quickly caught their attention.

“You two go get help!” They dropped the rags and went out the door. “Come with me, Alice. Clancy, watch the door.”

While the woman took Alice up the stairs, Clancy went to the door in time to come face-to-face with a tall man with a thin silver mustache.

“Why, uh, what d’you want, sir?”

“A young woman with blonde hair came in here not even a few minutes ago. She absconded from my asylum, and I’ve come to bring her back.”

“I’ve not seen anyone in here today.”

“We’ll be taking a look around.”

“Wait just a minute,” the Irishman said, stopping Berns with a hand on his shoulder. “You cannae just come barging into a respected establishment!”

But the taller man threw Clancy’s arm aside as if it were something repulsive.

“You’d do well not to get in my way.”

Across the street, Candy was quickly speaking with one of the other girls.

“They’re trying to take Alice?”

“Yes!”

“Girls, come on!”

The crowd of brides instantly ran across the street while Biddie took her friend’s arm.

“We should tell Mr. Stempel.”

“Oh, of course! Come on!”

It took a large amount of running, but they finally made it up the hill to his office.

“What in the world…?” the man exclaimed as the two exhausted women stumbled through the door. “What’s this about?”

Biddie still hadn’t caught her breath, but Candy was able to speak.

“Alice, she…these strange men…”

“Huh?”

“They’re taking her!” the younger woman forced out. “They’re taking Alice!”

Something within Aaron snapped, and he firmly seized Candy’s shoulders.

“Who were they?”

“I don’t know, they came in a black carriage…”

He was out the door and on his horse before she could finish.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Alice cringed in Lottie’s embrace upon hearing the footsteps coming up the stairs. The door to the back room was locked, but it was only a matter of time before they got through. Sure enough, the eventual rattling on the doorknob was followed by it being broken down in a matter of seconds. Despite her terror at the sight of her stepfather, Alice stood her ground as the older woman spoke.

“This is my saloon. Get out, _now!_ ”

“Ma’am, that young lady is insane. She needs to be committed.”

“If you believe that, you’re the one who’s insane.”

The girl hugged her tightly, knowing the man wouldn’t listen. He soon shook his head with an amused sigh.

“Take her.”

“Stop it!” Lottie screeched as the two orderlies ripped Alice out of her grasp. “Leave her _alone!_ ”

The terrified young woman fought and clawed, but the men were too strong. However, she had a brief moment of hope when she saw the other brides blocking the way down the stairs.

“Let that girl go!” Clancy shouted from in front of the door.

But the orderlies ultimately dragged her down, followed closely and calmly by Berns.

“The straightjacket is in the coach. That should calm her down.”

Hearing his voice spurred Alice into resuming her thrashes.

“ **No!** ”

She couldn’t bear the thought of returning to that place, of being trapped in that little room with him…death was a better alternative.

A large crowd had formed outside the saloon by now, and the Bolts were approaching with some of the loggers. While it wasn’t enough to keep the orderlies from dragging the girl to the carriage, it certainly slowed the progress. But all the same, they got her out the door. The two burly men were just about to force her into the coach when a loud booming voice rang over the crowd.

“ **Stop!** Let go of my wife!”

Alice looked over, and upon seeing Aaron climb down from his horse, her heart burned with relief.

“Wife?”

Berns looked at Aaron like he’d sprouted another head.

“That’s right.”

“I don’t believe you. You’ve made it up.”

“I think not, sir!”

Everyone looked over at the reverend as he ran into the church, rushing back with a piece of paper in his grasp.

“Here’s the marriage license right here,” he announced. “They both signed it in front of me.”

While William looked chagrined for a moment, his triumphant gaze soon returned.

“It’s signed ‘Alice Shields,’ isn’t it? That’s not her name, so the license is invalid.”

“No, she didn’t,” Aaron said, fierceness welling up inside him. “She used her legal last name: Berns. That means she’s my wife, and I’m responsible for her in every way. So unless you’re looking to break the law, you’d better release her _right now_.”

After several seconds, Alice felt the hands loosen around her arms. She took the opportunity to break free and run over to stand behind her spouse. Seeing her stepfather made her insides flip over, but his angered expression still satisfied her a bit.

“Why, you…this is the way you thank me for being a father to you?”

“My father was Brian Shields,” the woman replied with strength.

Tired of him being anywhere near Alice, Aaron took a step towards William and looked him in the eye.

“That’s the truth, and here’s another one: she will never set foot in your asylum again. Now, take your coach and get out of Seattle. If you come back, every one of us, especially myself, will make you wish you’d never laid eyes on Alice Stempel.”

“Yeah,” Jason added. “Go on, get out of here!”

The rest of the town soon joined in, shouting angrily for the asylum men to depart. Things were tense for a few more moments, but after giving his stepchild one last glare, Berns slowly turned around and went into the carriage. Everyone cheered in triumph as the coach rolled out of town, but Alice wasn’t moving. At some point, her hand reached over until it was resting in Aaron’s waiting palm. While the others celebrated, all the couple could do was hold hands.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! Just FYI: this chapter has mature content. Read on and enjoy =)

“Alice…why didn’t you tell me any of this before?”

“I’m sorry,” the woman told Jason, swaying nervously on the saloon stairway as the man leaned on the rail. “I was worried that you wouldn’t understand. And going back to the asylum…I couldn’t think of it.”

“Oh, I never would’ve said anything. Josh and Jeremy wouldn’t have—”

“I know.”

“And _Aaron_ of all people? If you’d told me, I’d have married you in a second to protect you.”

Alice’s insides warmed at his kindness.

“Well, he’d seen a ‘wanted’ poster of me in another town, and he offered to marry me. I took the chance to keep myself hidden.” She sighed. “I’m sorry I kept this from you.”

“Don’t be. As long as you haven’t been hurt…”

“Never. He’s treated me with respect for the whole union.”

Jason looked away for a moment before glancing back at her.

“I only want you to be happy, and safe. And we really will see to it if that man ever comes back.”

“He won’t. I’ve never seen him look that defeated.”

She’d been trying to make herself believe this for the last couple of hours, but it hadn’t settled in yet. For now, all she could do was say the words and hope they were true. Eventually, after the relieved festivities had calmed, Alice took Aaron’s arm and followed him back to the house.

The walk was very silent, as both of them were embroiled in their respective thoughts. Despite his stoic exterior, Stempel was practically in shock. He almost lost her today. That man had almost taken her. The marriage license was valid, so he would’ve gotten her back somehow, but…what would Berns have done to her before that point? He couldn’t stand to think about it.

_So don’t. You arrived in time._

All the same, the aftershock of fear was still present for both of them. It hadn’t hit Alice yet. Her legs were numbly carrying her towards the house, and the rest of her was just as numb. She barely noticed going up the stairs and entering the bedroom to change while her spouse did the same in the guestroom. Once she’d fastened her nightgown, Alice glanced across the floor until her eyes rested on the wall. She was _here_ , not in the asylum. William hadn’t taken her away. It was still so hard to believe. At some point, she turned to see Aaron carefully coming through the door in his nightclothes.

“You all right?”

She nodded, secretly overwhelmed by how gentle his voice was. They stared at each other for a few seconds. Then, the man rushed forward, catching her just as she ran into his waiting arms. After scooping her up, Aaron got onto the bed and sat against the pillows. Alice’s arms had snaked around his neck by now, as if trying to reassure herself that this was real.

“Shh…” Aaron lifted a hand to cup the back of her head. “You’re safe.”

And he was letting himself believe it now. Yes, he had almost lost this woman, someone he never thought he’d feel so strongly for.

_Not since Ellen, at least…_

But he hadn’t lost her. That monster was gone, and they were together.

The girl found herself crying again. It wasn’t like the previous night, after she’d had those nightmares. These were tears of utter joy. Her stepfather was gone, and he’d never come within a thousand yards of her for the rest of her life. A warm blanket of relief surrounded her as she embraced the truth: she was finally free.

It was unknown whether this had gone on for minutes or hours. Eventually, they both leaned back just enough to see each other’s eyes. It was such a soft moment, but the emotions made it equally intense. Aaron bent towards her first, just a little. Alice did the same until her lips were pressing against his. Though the kiss didn’t last long, it meant more to them than anything they’d ever felt. Despite Alice’s attempt to repeat the action, her spouse gently stopped her with his hands on her face.

“Let’s sleep first,” he said, easing the girl down onto the mattress. “Wait until today is over.”

Alice nodded, no longer feeling the dread from the previous night. Without another word, they rested their heads onto the pillows and shut their eyes. There weren’t any more kisses, true to Aaron’s request, but he pulled her into his arms for compensation. It was more than enough for the exhausted woman, who leaned her head on his chest and allowed his heartbeat to lull her to sleep.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

It was mostly dark when she opened her eyes early in the morning, but the sun was just starting to come up. Still, she wasn’t tired anymore; on the contrary, she felt more rested than ever before. During the next few minutes, Alice turned back towards Aaron and watched his sleeping face. He looked so peaceful, unlike how she’d seen him in the past. The fact that he was the wealthy (and sometimes stuck-up) owner of a sawmill had no bearing on his current appearance. Now, he truly resembled a normal person.

Those brown eyes opened as well, and as soon as he saw her, the man allowed himself a sleepy smile.

“Good morning.”

A few seconds later, Alice lifted a hand and rested it against his cheek. He merely gazed at her, but when she inched her face a bit closer, he moved a hand to her shoulder. Before the woman had a chance to feel rejected, Stempel’s arms slid beneath the sheets and pulled her against him. The heat radiating from his body vanquished any doubt in Alice’s mind that he desired her.

“Alice…are you sure?”

He rested his forehead against hers, awaiting a reply that came a few seconds later.

“I want you, Aaron.”

Aaron slowly moved over his wife, supporting his weight upon his forearms.

“If anything isn’t all right, _anything_ …”

Alice smiled.

“I know.”

That was all he needed. He leaned down to capture her lips in a kiss, and she responded with great enthusiasm. She didn’t have a lot of experience with this, but upon feeling his tongue brushing lightly against hers, her instincts kicked in. For the next few minutes, this was what they did: enjoy the feeling of their kisses, along with their arms around each other.

One of Aaron’s hands ultimately drifted beneath the sheets towards the bottom of the woman’s nightgown. However, he hesitated briefly. This felt strange, especially in light of the horrific abuse in Alice’s past. But the look in her eyes quickly did away with his worries. He continued reaching down until he’d pulled up the skirt. His fingers rested upon her bare thigh for a few seconds before moving further inwards. It had been a while since he’d touched a woman like this. In fact, Ellen had taught him a great deal about pleasing the female body. Though part of him wondered if Alice would enjoy this, he didn’t have to dwell on that for long.

The girl closed her eyes, fascinated by how soft the feeling was…not harsh, like it was when—

_No. You never have to think about that again._

So she didn’t. Instead, she welcomed his kiss and allowed herself to feel the pleasure brought on by his touch. Eventually, once he felt moisture at her opening, Aaron wet his fingertips with it and rubbed her sensitive spot a bit more. Then, he carefully slipped a finger inside of her. God, there was no way to describe the expression on her face. It was glowing, like he’d always wanted it to be. And now, he was the cause, the source, of her bliss.

Before long, Alice began undoing the top buttons of his undershirt. Once they were opened, he stopped what he was doing just long enough to help her remove the garment. Then, he bent back down and kissed her again. He soon moved his hands back to the nightgown, slowly pulling it up. But once it was on the floor, Alice used her arms to nervously cover herself.

_What if he doesn’t think I’m…pretty?_

However, the tender look upon his face was quite reassuring, as was the feeling of his hands gently moving her forearms to her sides. Aaron pressed another kiss to her lips before moving down to the soft skin of her neck. When his attentions reached her breasts, Alice couldn’t hold back a moan. Before this morning, she had no idea that the human body was capable of feeling such a wide range of sensations. In fact, she’d only associated pain with this kind of physical intimacy. That certainly wasn’t the case anymore.

Eventually, after he’d returned to kissing her, Aaron reached down to undo the ties of his sleeping trousers. With some help from his spouse, he eased them down and kicked them towards the bottom of the bed. Despite the depths of how badly he wanted her, the man spent a couple of minutes just holding Alice in his arms. He was worried that he wouldn’t be able to sufficiently please her, and he also wanted her to get used to their naked forms being this close to each other. It wasn’t acceptable for her to feel uneasy, no matter how he himself was feeling. Luckily, she used a soft kiss to show just how comfortable she was.

Upon positioning himself at her moist entrance, Aaron moved a hand to gently hold Alice’s cheek.

“Tell me if it hurts,” he whispered in the middle of another kiss, “and I’ll stop.”

“I will.”

And he slowly eased in.

“Just look at me,” Aaron told her, hoping to alleviate any discomfort.

The young woman complied. It wasn’t exactly painful, but there was an intense feeling of being stretched on the inside. Nevertheless, she distracted herself by staring into his eyes. It helped a great deal, and after a few minutes, she lifted her hips up. This prodded him to match her movements until they’d found a steady rhythm. The unpleasant feeling vanished before long, replaced by a building coil of heat.

“ _Ohh_ …Aaron…”

“Yes, Alice. _Yes_.”

She put her arms back around his neck, pulling him as close as possible without hindering their progress. The fire increased between them, more with every passing moment. Before she knew what was happening, Alice felt her insides explode in the most euphoric sensation she’d ever experienced. Her spouse followed close behind, overwhelmed by how perfectly their forms fitted together. It washed over them for several seconds, to the point where Alice had to catch her breath before regaining her awareness. Once she did, all she knew was love.

Still unable to believe that they were truly _with_ each other, Aaron cradled her face in both hands. He pressed a feathery kiss against her cheek before returning to her lips. And the woman absorbed it, just as she wanted to absorb every good feeling for the rest of her life.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi again =) This chapter's short, but I hope you like it. Read on and enjoy!

“Candy, you really don’t have to do all of this.”

“Not another word.” The redheaded woman looked at Alice with an excited smile. “You and Mr. Stempel never had a ceremony, so we’re making one for you.”

“But we’ve been married for a while. Isn’t it a little late?”

“Every girl deserves a fancy wedding, especially you.”

Alice finally backed down. Candy had already spent the past two months planning this, so she surely wouldn’t stop now. She and Aaron started by shrugging it off as not being a big deal, but she was beginning to look forward to it. Her insides were warmer than they’d been in her life. Ever since their first time, things had been wonderful between the two of them. The young woman wasn’t quite as shy at this point, so they were able to be more adventurous during their intimate moments. And fortunately, those instances were common now.

_Well, I might as well just relax and enjoy this time._

It certainly wasn’t difficult, since the whole town seemed to be excited about the upcoming event. Lottie insisted on hosting the wedding party within the saloon.

“This place’ll look spick and span in no time,” the older woman said gleefully while sweeping the floor.

“It always looks nice.”

“You should see it at sundown. You’d think it was a madhouse.” Alice paused briefly in wiping the tables, feeling a jolt from within her gut. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

“No, it’s fine. I…”

Her stomach was turning more and more with each second, and her legs impulsively propelled her into the back room. Lottie dropped the broom, approaching just in time to witness the girl vomiting into a nearby bucket.

“I’m such a fool, sweetheart.”

“It’s not you,” Alice muttered upon catching her breath. “I’ve been sick a lot lately.”

The older woman knelt down next to her, suddenly concerned for her health.

“You have? For how long?”

“I don’t know, maybe a couple of weeks?”

“Hmm,” Lottie inquired, feeling Alice’s forehead. “You don’t feel warm.”

“It’s odd. Lunchtime isn’t until later, but I usually get sick in the morning.”

This made the saloon owner wonder about something else. She pieced her words very carefully before speaking.

“Alice, have you and Aaron…been with each other?” The woman didn’t answer, but her red cheeks were sufficient. “You might be with child.”

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Upon getting home from her walk another week later, she didn’t move from the couch for at least a couple of hours. She hadn’t been sure about Lottie’s revelation, but when her sickness continued, they both knew what was going on.

“You need to tell him,” Lottie had gently stated. “I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.”

“Really?”

“Of course. He acts tough, but he’s got a soft interior. A baby will just make things better.”

_I hope so._

Eventually, the front door opened and closed as it always did at lunchtime. And as always, Aaron’s dark eyes softened upon seeing his wife. With a gentle smile, he walked over to the sofa and sat down next to her.

“Good afternoon.” Things were quiet for a moment. “How was your lunch?”

“Oh, I actually haven’t eaten,” Alice told him. “I’ve felt a little…out of sorts.”

“Really?” The man seemed concerned. “Have you seen the doctor?”

“No, it’ll probably pass.”

Aaron let himself smile as his arms pulled her in.

“I think I can help make you feel better.”

He swiftly scooped her up, prompting Alice to laugh in surprise. Once he’d carried her upstairs and tenderly placed her onto their bed, Aaron cupped her cheeks in his hands. The woman closed her eyes to accept his kiss, trying to push her worries away. But her brief hesitation didn’t go unnoticed.

“I’m sorry.”

“Is anything wrong?”

She spent a few seconds trying to pick the right words. However, there couldn’t have been one perfect way of breaking this type of news.

“I’m expecting.”

Before Aaron had a chance to ask what she meant, it suddenly hit him.

_A baby?_

So many different emotions ran through his mind at once. Nervousness about becoming a parent, concern for his wife’s health, but above all…joy. It took a few minutes for him to find his voice.

“Alice…you’re sure?”

“I talked to Lottie.”

Though the saloon owner was no doctor, Aaron trusted her completely. He stared at Alice, picturing her with their child. Anyone would be lucky to have someone like her as a mother, but would he be a good father? He’d never thought of himself with children before. Other matters had always been foremost on his mind, and after what happened to Ellen, he didn’t expect to truly love another person enough to start a family.

“Are you angry?”

He glanced back at her.

“No! Oh, I’m not angry at all. This…” The man paused, trying to gather himself. “This is wonderful.”

Alice exhaled slightly.

“It isn’t unwelcome?”

“With you? Never.”

“But…what if I’m not a good mother?”

“Nonsense, you couldn’t possibly be anything but perfect. And you’ll have me.” Aaron moved his arms around her shoulders and leaned her against the pillows. “I’ll always be here, Alice. I promise.”

Hearing those words made the young woman feel incredibly secure, more so than she’d even been. She was still nervous, or course, as bringing a child into the world was no simple task. But she saw the truth in Aaron’s eyes and allowed it to do away with her fears. He gave her a gentle kiss, quickly making her mind a paradise.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! Read on and enjoy. A tiny bit of heated stuff in the beginning, but nothing too bad. =)

It was almost time. The new ceremony was just a day away, and the town could barely contain its excitement. Even Alice was letting herself look forward to it a little bit more. However, she and Aaron had decided not to make her condition public yet. It surely wouldn’t diminish everyone’s joy, but the woman didn’t think she could handle more than one boisterous celebration right now.

Despite all of the wonderful feelings, Alice felt that something was off with Aaron. Though he didn’t seem to be in a bad mood, he was alienating himself more than usual. She knew she’d have to talk with him about this, but Alice was almost afraid of what he’d say.

_What if he isn’t ready for a baby after all? Maybe he doesn’t even want to go through with this ceremony._

That night, after changing into her nightgown and slipping under the sheets, she made herself look at her husband. Sure enough, he was just staring at the opposite wall.

“Aaron?”

“Hmm?”

She chose her words very carefully.

“I want you to know…if you don’t want this child, maybe there’s a way to...”

Alice had barely finished her sentence when Aaron turned to stare at her.

“Oh, Alice, of _course_ I want the child.” He looked somewhat frightened. “Why would you think I didn’t?”

“I’m sorry. It just seems like you’ve been so quiet about everything lately.”

The man took a breath. He should’ve known that his wife would sense his conflict. It had nothing to do with what Alice said, but even so, it was probably best to be honest with her.

“I wouldn’t give up the baby for the world, nor would I give you up. But…is this what _you_ truly want?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well…you’ve endured such horrible circumstances, and I made it worse by forcing you to sign that license with me. I was no different than your stepfather.”

“Oh, don’t say that. You’re nothing at all like him. He just wanted to hurt me, and humiliate me, but that isn’t you.” She went on before he could object. “You could’ve done what he did, but you didn’t. You would never do anything to a woman if she didn’t want you to. And when you finally did…Aaron, you know I wanted you to.”

Even in light of these comforting words, Stempel still had his doubts.

“I just wish we could go back. I’d prove myself to you, I’d court you like a proper gentleman would court a lady.”

“You did prove yourself, though.”

“This is all out of order,” Aaron stated, shaking his head. “Hold on.”

He got up and went over to the dresser. Alice sat up against her pillow and watched as he looked through one of the drawers. Eventually, once he’d found a small box, he went back over to the bed and stood next to where his spouse was sitting.

“One thing needs to happen before tomorrow.” He kneeled down, looking up at Alice with the box in his hand. “Alice, prior to this arrangement, I never thought I’d find someone to share my life with. I was scared, really. But after spending so much time with you, and seeing your resilience, I…I didn’t think anyone could fill the hole Ellen left behind, nor that I could truly love another woman again. And I do love you, with everything in me.”

Alice’s eyes were tearing up at this point. She knew how he felt, but this was the first time he’d ever used that word.

“I love you, too.”

Aaron opened the box, revealing a beautiful diamond ring with small sapphires circling the larger gem.

“This belonged to my mother, and hers before her. I want you to have it now, if you still wish to be Mrs. Stempel.”

“Aaron…oh, of course I do!”

She let him put the ring on her finger, brushing her worries away at the same time. Then, he got back onto the bed and scooped her into his arms. Their kiss was just as warm as always, but this time, there was a bit more urgency. No trace of tension remained at this point, which allowed both of them to let go of all doubt. After a minute or two, Aaron reluctantly ended the kiss.

“I know we can’t, with the baby.” Alice nodded, trying to suppress the heat building within her. “Still…”

The man let his hand wander all the way down, spoiling any chance of his wife calming her feelings. All she could do was hang onto him. For the rest of the night, the two of them did only as much as they dared. Despite the obvious limit on their physical passion, nothing could hold back their truest feelings.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

“You look beautiful.”

Lottie beamed at Alice. She’d ordered a special dress for the marriage, and it flattered the girl so wonderfully. It was a dark blue color, with green and yellow floral designs all over the fabric.

“Thank you, Lottie.”

“No need to thank me. You deserve this, sweetheart.”

She hugged the older woman just as the saloon doors opened.

“Is the bride ready?”

It was Jason, clad in a black suit. Alice walked over with a beaming smile.

“You look handsome.”

“Oh, never you mind about me. Nothing would hold a candle to you.”

“Why, thank you.”

With one hand gripping a bouquet of daisies, Alice moved her free arm around Jason’s and allowed him to lead her outside. Nearly the entire town was standing around the makeshift aisle, watching with wide grins. At the end of the walkway, just in front of the church, she could see her two wonderful bridesmaids, Biddie and Candy, smiling back at her. Clancy looked much more dapper than usual, especially when Lottie went around the crowd and joined him near the other two girls. The reverend was waiting on the top steps, and last but not least, Aaron awaited her on the very first step of the staircase. He was dressed in his best suit, but that wasn’t nearly as noticeable as the look on his face upon seeing her.

She finally took his hand, signaling the start of the ceremony.

“Ladies and gentlemen of Seattle, we are gathered here today to renew the union of Aaron G. Stempel and Alice B. Shields.” Alice smiled at the sound of her true name. “This is not only a union of legal names, but it is also a union of lives, and of souls. If anyone can think of a reason they should not continue to be joined, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

Needless to say, after all that had transpired, nobody could think of any reason at all.

“Very well. Do you, Alice, continue to take Aaron as your lawful wedded husband, to love, cherish, and honor, until death parts you?”

She looked into her husband’s dark eyes.

“I do.”

“And do you, Aaron, continue to take Alice as your lawful wedded wife, to love, cherish, and honor, until death parts you?”

“I do.”

There was a happy mutter amongst the spectators as the couple joined hands again.

“Then by the power vested in me, I bless the continuation of this wonderful marriage. You may now kiss the bride.”

They did just that, only stopping when the utter joy of the cheers became too loud to ignore. Then again, it was nothing compared to the elation within their own hearts.


End file.
